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About a century ago, a beautiful tradition emerged in the Italian city of Naples: Cafe-goers would buy a cup of coffee anonymously and in advance for a less-fortunate stranger. With much of Europe now in tight financial times, the custom is spreading across the continent.

Certain sales strategies work well with American Latinos. California's insurance exchange didn't try any of them when advertising coverage with the Affordable Care Act.

Despite some limitations on the sale imposed by the European Commission, Universal will command close to 40 percent of the global market in recorded music.

The central bank's unexpected move to keep rates low for now was good news for stock investors and homebuyers, but oil prices surged and savers will have longer to wait before they see higher rates. The Federal Reserve concluded that the economy is still too weak and needs its continued help.

Colorado has cut the number of people without health insurance in half, with 20 percent of state residents now on Medicaid. but out-of-pocket medical expenses can still be hard for families to afford.

China is greeting the Year of the Horse with a little less fanfare, noise and smoke, after severe air pollution choked scores of cities last year. Firework sales are down, and more people say they're forgoing the ancient and beloved good-luck tradition for the sake of their lungs and health.

Former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley was found not guilty of first-degree murder in the 2011 shooting death of black motorist Anthony Lamar Smith. Hundreds of people gathered to protest.

Robert Siegel talks to Professor Alan Blinder of Princeton on the Federal Reserve's renewal of the so-called "Operation Twist."

Refinancing is not available to everyone. But those who can refinance switch from adjustable- to fixed-rate mortgages, locking money in at rates their parents in the 1980s never dreamed of. Many shave a couple of hundred dollars off their monthly mortgage payment; some get an even bigger windfall.

With talk of new agricultural subsidies, our Planet Money podcast team looks back at the tale of government cheese for lessons on the unintended consequences of government subsidies.